Safety Darby undrafted rookie to watch

West safety Alden Darby (3), of Arizona State, runs back an interception in front of East offensive lineman Zac Kerin (67), of Toledo, during the first half of the East-West Shrine Classic NCAA college football game in St. Petersburg, Fla., Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
The Associated Press

West safety Alden Darby (3), of Arizona State, runs back an interception in front of East offensive lineman Zac Kerin (67), of Toledo, during the first half of the East-West Shrine Classic NCAA college football game in St. Petersburg, Fla., Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Chargers rookies, drafted and undrafted, will practice from Friday through Sunday. Among the undrafted rookies, strong safety Alden Darby is a player to watch, said Michael Gehlken in his recent Chargers chat.

Darby appeared in 50 games for Arizona State. ASU staffers lauded him as unusually energetic, reliable and upbeat, saying he represented the school well on and off the field.

The intangibles can only help Darby's chances if the football evaluation becomes a tie.

He was the first at Arizona State to wear Pat Tillman Practice Jersey, in honor of the late ex-Sun Devil player who gave up his NFL career to fight with the U.S. military.

He grew up in a rough part of Long Beach, and visits high schools to tell students of his triumphs over adversity.

''People really respond to him, respond to his message,'' said Jean Boyd, an ASU senior associate athletic director for the Office of Student Athlete Development, via the Arizona Republic.

Darby is 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds. He ran the 40-yard-dash in 4.46 seconds at his Pro Day. A first-team, all-Pac-12 performer last year, he led the team in pass deflections with 10 and for the second year in a row had a pick-6 against USC. He finished his career with 10 interceptions, plus two more in the 2014 East-West All-Star Shrine Game.

His coaches described him as a playcaller who coordinated the defense.

Darby faces a difficult competition. The Chargers employ several young strong safeties who've learned John Pagano's system. Marcus Gilchrist was the main starter at strong safety last year, while Jahleel Addae, an undrafted rookie, saw increased playing time. Mike McCoy was effusive in his praise for Addae last August, saying his energetic style fit into the staff's plan for how to build a team. Another strong safety, Brandon Taylor, was a third-round draft pick out of LSU in 2012. Recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, he didn't play last year.

Darby is the only safety the Chargers listed among their 17 undrafted rookies. Last year, Pagano expanded the use of safeties in the team's nickel and dime packages.